Social Interaction with Collaborative Robots in the Hotel Industry: Analysing the Employees' Perception
Maria Menshikova, Isabella Bonacci, Danila Scarozza, Alena Fedorova, Khaled Ghazy
This study examines the human-robot interaction in the hospitality industry by investigating hotel employees' perceptions of collaborative robots (cobots) in hotel operations. Through qualitative research involving interviews with hotel staff, the study investigates the social dimensions and internal work dynamics of working alongside cobots, using the ARPACE model for analysis.
Problem
While robotic technologies are increasingly introduced in hotels to enhance service efficiency and customer satisfaction, their impact on employees and human resource management remains largely underexplored. This study addresses the research gap by focusing on the workers' perspective, which is often overlooked in favour of customer or organizational viewpoints, to understand the opportunities and challenges of integrating cobots into the workforce.
Outcome
- Employees hold ambivalent views, perceiving cobots both as helpful, innovative partners that reduce workload and as cold, emotionless entities that can cause isolation and job insecurity. - The integration of cobots creates opportunities for better work organization, such as more accurate task assignment and freeing up employees for more creative tasks, and improves the socio-psychological climate by reducing interpersonal conflicts. - Key challenges include socio-psychological costs like boredom and lack of empathy, technical issues like malfunctions, communication difficulties, and fears of job displacement. - The study concludes that successful integration requires tailored Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, including training, upskilling, and effective change management to foster a collaborative environment and mitigate employee concerns.
Host: Welcome to A.I.S. Insights, powered by Living Knowledge. In a world where technology is reshaping every industry, how do we manage the human side of change? Today, we're diving into a fascinating study titled "Social Interaction with Collaborative Robots in the Hotel Industry: Analysing the Employees' Perception".
Host: This study explores what really happens when people and robots start working side-by-side in hotels. It looks at the social dynamics and challenges from the perspective of the employees themselves. I'm your host, Anna Ivy Summers, and joining me is our expert analyst, Alex Ian Sutherland. Alex, welcome.
Expert: Thanks for having me, Anna.
Host: So, Alex, we see robots popping up in hotels, maybe delivering room service or cleaning floors. Why is it so important to study how employees feel about this?
Expert: It's crucial because most of the conversation around this technology focuses on customer experience or operational efficiency. But the hospitality industry is built on human interaction. This study addresses a major blind spot: the impact on the employees. Their acceptance and engagement are what will ultimately make or break this technological shift. The research found that most organizations overlook the workers’ perspective, which is a huge risk.
Host: That makes sense. You can have the best technology in the world, but if your team isn't on board, it's not going to work. How did the researchers get inside the minds of these hotel employees?
Expert: They took a very direct, human-centered approach. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 20 employees from various departments in luxury hotels—from the front desk to housekeeping. They used a framework to analyze the different dimensions of the human-robot relationship: viewing the robot as a partner, looking at the tasks they perform together, and evaluating the overall costs and benefits of this new way of working.
Host: So, what was the verdict? Are employees excited to have a robot as a coworker?
Expert: The findings were really mixed, which is what makes this so interesting. Employees are quite ambivalent. On one hand, many see the cobots as innovative and helpful. They described them as "fun and super interesting" partners that could make their lives easier and handle boring, repetitive tasks.
Host: But I'm sensing a "but" coming...
Expert: Exactly. On the other hand, many employees expressed feelings of anxiety and isolation. They described the cobots as "emotionless," "cold," and that working with them could feel lonely. There's a real fear that the workplace could become a "confusing and depressing environment" without human-to-human connection.
Host: That’s a powerful contrast. Did the study find any unexpected benefits, perhaps beyond just getting the work done faster?
Expert: It did. One of the most surprising benefits was an improvement in the workplace social climate. Employees noted that cobots can reduce interpersonal conflicts. As one person said, cobots "do not have mood changes... they won't gossip." They also free up employees from physically demanding or monotonous jobs, allowing them to focus on more creative and engaging tasks that require a human touch.
Host: Fewer office politics is a benefit anyone can get behind! But let’s talk about the big challenges. What were the main concerns that came up again and again?
Expert: The concerns fell into a few key areas. First, the socio-psychological cost we mentioned—boredom and a lack of empathy from their robot colleagues. Second, technical issues. When a cobot malfunctions or glitches, it creates new stress for the human staff who have to fix it. And finally, the most significant concern was job security. Employees are worried that these cobots are not just partners, but potential replacements, leading to job losses.
Host: This brings us to the most important question for our listeners. For a business leader thinking about bringing cobots into their operations, what are the key takeaways from this study? What should they be doing?
Expert: The number one takeaway is that this is not a technology problem; it's a people-and-process problem. You can't just deploy a robot and expect success. The study strongly concludes that successful integration requires tailored Human Resource Management practices.
Host: Can you give us some concrete examples of what that looks like?
Expert: Absolutely. First, change management is critical. Leaders need to frame cobots as collaborative partners that augment human skills, not replace them. Second, invest heavily in training and upskilling. This isn't just about teaching employees which buttons to press. It's about preparing them for redesigned roles that are more focused on problem-solving, creativity, and customer interaction.
Host: So it's about elevating the human role, not eliminating it.
Expert: Precisely. The third key is to proactively redesign jobs. Let the cobots handle the dangerous, repetitive, or physically strenuous tasks. This frees up your people to do what they do best: connect with guests and provide empathetic service. Finally, leaders must address the fears of job loss head-on with clear communication and a solid plan for workforce redeployment and development.
Host: So, to sum it up, integrating collaborative robots is a double-edged sword. They offer huge potential for efficiency, but they also introduce very real human challenges.
Host: The key to success isn't the robot itself, but a thoughtful business strategy—one that focuses on proactive HR, upskilling your people, and redesigning work to blend the best of human and machine capabilities. Alex, thank you so much for sharing these powerful insights with us.
Expert: My pleasure, Anna.
Host: And a big thank you to our audience for tuning in to A.I.S. Insights, powered by Living Knowledge. Join us next time as we continue to explore the intersection of business and technology.
Human-Robot Collaboration, Social Interaction, Employee Perception, Hospitality, Hotel, Cobots, Industry 5.0
